Pop Culture Happy Hour: Fairy Tales And A Fall TV Quiz

We could not be happier to bring back our friend Barrie Hardymon, who's out in California but still made time to come and chat with us. In recognition that we are soon to see the live-action Maleficent coming from Disney, we chat about fairy tales. "These are stories we tell our kids to get them to abandon us," Glen says. "We're giving them the psychic armor, the psychic tools, to say goodbye." We talk about old fairy tales, Disney-fied versions, and Glen's recognition that Germany hasn't had an easy time of it with their own versions. And Barrie reminds us that for many kids, a fairy tale — even Frozen -- is a way to process things that are frightening. We manage to fit in some Sondheim, some silly voices, and Glen's nursery school memories.

In our second segment, it's network upfronts season, and it's quiz time. That means that without in any way passing judgment on a bunch of shows we've never seen and have barely heard of, there is fun to be had with the strange marketing goofballery that goes on at this time of year.

And as always we close the show with what's making us happy this week. Stephen is happy about a newly available beer from three flopsy-haired old pals. Glen is happy about a graphic novel (!) that he says is not for everyone, but as he says, most good things aren't. Barrie is happy about a show starring a man who is, as she points out, very serious about drinking (as a business, not a hobby). And I am happy about a wonderfully written and very enlightening book about the miseries of Hollywood production.